Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-14
A LIFE LENGTHENED.
PukYEAR's EXISTENCE TO LAST UNTIL
AUGUST 18th.
A Petition from the Murderer-His Auto
biography Preparations
for Eternity.

ed the following autograph letter OF the
condemned man:
To Your ErcciIcncy Fytz Lee, Govor-
nor Of Virginia:
!, your petitioner, herewith present
this my last and most earnest appeal to
your Excellency for Executive clemen-
cy for the purpose Of making prepa-
ration so needful for the doom which |
am TO meet. / have been buoyed up
first, by the expectation of new trial
in the Court Of Appeals, and next by
newly-discovered evidence and be-
ljeving j would be respited, certainly,
| devoted my time since my sentenceto
preparing true history of my life for
a threefold rea5on--one, to vindicate
myself of the crime with which i was
charged, and, second, 10 try and raise
means to pay counsefs fees, and to
not turn homeless my old father, mo-
ther, and sister, who have placed their
little home as security for the payment
of expenses incurred have been so
certain of respite | gave my undi-
vided attention 10 the history almost,
so have not made the preparations
that | would wish to make, as ! was so
absorbed in my duty (as L deemed it
both to my parents and myself) IN the
preparation of the history | was writing
II would necessarily take time / should
have devoted TO my spiritual welfare in
the world TO come, where we will all be
summoned either sooner or later, there
TO hear our final doom, for which we all
ought to be prepared ere we go hence.
This preparation has been neglected to
a too great extentin my being so closely
engaged writing my book, to be pub
lished and sold for reasons already
given your Excellency in this my
last appeal to your Executive power
vested. Hoping and believing that
your Excellcncy will grant me the short
time of sixty days for this important
and inevitable, as it now seems to he, |
humbly ask your Excellency to grant
to your petitioner, as we will all have
to yield to death sooner or later, and
necessary preparation is very necdful (;
so much so that humbly believe your
Excellency will grant this earnest re-
quest. As God is the searcher of all
heats and knows their secrets, it is all
important that we should be fifty and
fully prepared to meet our God. | will
present this to your Excelency through
my spiritual adviser, Rev. j. ". Rose
bro, of this city. | cxpectantly and
hopefully await the result of your Ex
ccllcDcy's decision.
remain, yours very truly,
II. II. PURYEAR
PctUSJUrg, Va, July 13, 1887.
The Governor, after considering the
matter, agreed to respite Puryear until
the 10Th of August. The Governor,
however, wished it to be understood
that his only reason for this action was
to give the prisoner longer time to pre-
pare for death, and he told Mr.. Rosebro
that he would not further interfere.
PURYEAR's NERVE.
Yesterday evening the following was
received from the dispatch Petersburg
correspondent. At the time it was
written the result of Rev. Mr.. Rose
bros visit to the Governor in behalf OF
Purvear was not known either to the
correspondent or the condemned man
Puryear, the condemned wiie-mur-
derer, slept last night in blissful igno-
rance of the action of the Governor in
refusing to grant "A respite for the rea-
sons given in the petition sent to Rich
mond 10y Sheriff Temple, of Prince
George, and endorsed by Judge Rives,
of the County Court. This (Wednes-
day) morning when Puryear was given
his breakfast he was informed by
Deputv-Sergeant Williams that bad
news awaited him. The prisoner eagerly
asked what it was, doubtless antici-
pating its character. ahe officer
briefly told him that the Governor had
declined to grant reprieve, and that
in all probability he would have to
hang on Friday, the day fixed 10y the
Court for his execution. Puryear both
expressed and showed surprise. lie
was not only certain of a respite, but
he had never for moment doubted
that the Governor, when he had fully
examined the record in the case, would
either pardon him outright or commute
his sentence to imprisonment. 1t Is
believed that his counsel rather en-
deavored to impress a different view
upon Puryear.
Confident that he would not be exc
cuted, Puryear some weeks ago began
TO write a History of His Life, " to
which he has given his entire atten-
ton up to yesterday afternoon. de
designs that the sale of this book
shall, in part, pay the cost of his de-
fence in the trials in the courts. He
gave very little attention to devotional
exercises or to preparation for death,
and though at times he has expressed
indifference as to his fate, except for
the sake of his mother and sister, for
whom he evinces very tender atlec-
ton, it is thought by those who have
oftenest seen him that he is far from
prepared for death.
For this reason kind-hearted citizens
this morning made a move III his be-
half. Rev. J. w. Rosebro, pastor OF
the First Presbyterian church, one OF
the prisoners spiritual advisers, went
over to see the Governor and urge HIM
to grant respite to enable the prisoner
to make suitable preparation for death.
He carried with him the following pa
per from the city sergeant
His Ercellency HtzhUgh Lee, Coz
crnOr OF Virginia:
Honored Sir,-I herewith submit
statement of facts which you may take
into consideration, should YOU feel dis
posed or justified in reopening the Pur-
wear case. Until yesterday the pris-
oner believed that he would be either
pardoned or have his punishment COM
muted, and had up to that hour de-
voted ell of histimeto the preparation of
the History of His Life, and therefore
had bis mind so occupied as to prevent
that serious preparation for eternity
that was necessary in his case. He Is
therefore unprepared to meet his fate.
The object in publishing the history of
his life is TO raise means to pay the ex-
pense of his defence and to relieve his
father of pecuniary embarrassments ln-
cured in his defence.
Very respectfully,
IoyfSSrnN